Radio România Internațional

Tag: adjustment

  • September 24, 2024

    September 24, 2024

     

    BUDGET The government of Romania approved the adjustment of the state budget, social security budget and unemployment insurance budget, taking into account the macroeconomic forecasts made by the National Forecast Commission. The indices on which the adjustment is based include a revised 2.8% economic growth rate, an updated GDP of nearly EUR 353 bln and a 6.9% budget deficit. The adjustment focuses on 4 major areas: supporting investments, education, healthcare and social programmes for citizens.

     

    UN The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is taking part on Tuesday and Wednesday in the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, held in New York. The central theme of the current session is ‘Unity in diversity for the progress of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere.’ The president’s participation in the UNGA this year is, according to the presidency, an opportunity to highlight Romania’s contribution to the global effort to step up progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Mr. Iohannis will give an address on Wednesday in the plenary meeting, when he will plead for maintaining multi-lateral dialogue, especially within the UN, as a key element of regional and global security. The Romanian official will also underscore Romania’s efforts and contribution at all levels to solving current global issues, from security crises such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, to major challenges for mankind, including climate change, the deterioration of human rights and cyber threats. Mr. Iohannis will also plead for a reformed UN system, able to meet all current and future challenges in an efficient and transparent manner.

     

    AMBASSADOR Romania is, along the other EU member states, among the main guardians and contributors in the field of human rights, the Romanian Ambassador to the UN, Cornel Feruţă, said in an interview to AGERPRES. He emphasised that Romania has a well-defined profile in terms of promoting international law, of a rule-based international order and the rule of law. According to the Romanian diplomat, the country has credibility in the international community thanks to its openness and willingness to support partners in various parts of the world, especially in Africa, Asia – Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, in fulfilling goals related to sustainable development and to strengthening public sector capabilities. Romania also intends to remain involved in defining global policies to fight climate change. The Romanian diplomat also said the dynamics in the diplomatic community in New York reflects the developments at global level, specifically the war of aggression waged by Russia for over 2.5 years against Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 tragedy.

     

    EDUCATION The Romanian education minister, Ligia Deca, is taking part today in a conference themed ‘A bright future beyond borders: Investing in early childhood education and care’, organised by UNICEF Moldova, Romania and the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia jointly with the LEGO Foundation. According to the education ministry, the conference is aimed at developing a shared view and deep understanding of the importance of high-quality early childhood education and care systems, including essential elements such as learning through play, consolidating partnerships and facilitating know-how exchanges in order to step up the development of high-quality early childhood education and care systems in Moldova and Romania. Success stories will also be presented, concerning the inclusion and integration of Ukrainian refugee children in Moldova and Romania.

     

    FLOODS The Danube flow rate upon entering Romanian territory will be 8,000 cubic meters per second at most, on September 29-30, the Romanian Waters Administration announced. Based on current information, the risk of major problems caused by the propagation of floods to the Romanian segment of the river is low, explained the institution’s spokesperson, Ana-Maria Agiu. In turn, the chairman of the Board of Hidroelectrica, Karoly Borbely, promised that the high level of the Danube waters entering the country can be handled safely. (AMP)

  • September 23, 2024 UPDATE

    September 23, 2024 UPDATE

    BUDGET The government in Bucharest on Monday endorsed the first budget adjustment this year. The new positive adjustment will be bringing the GDP deficit up to 6.9%, even though the Finance Ministry also forecasts income raises. The money will be mainly used for co-funding investment projects and also for pay rises approved amid a series of protests this year. According to Prime Minister Ciolacu, Europe’s developed countries, Germany and France, supported investment concurrently with the rising budget deficit. Ciolacu described this raise as sustainable, given that 8.5 lei out of 10 will be used for funding motorways, hospitals, schools, gas and water distribution networks and other objectives of local interest. Ciolacu went on to say that the invested sums would be returned eightfold to the budget as it happened in the case of the motorways built.

     

    FUNDS Romania is to receive 21.6 million Euros from the European Commission for the farmers who incurred losses from the bad weather this summer. The decision was made at the AgriFish Council, which takes place in Brussels and where Romania is being represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Florin Barbu. The European Executive has proposed the allotment of 120 million Euros out of its agriculture reserve in order to directly support farmers from Romania, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia and Italy. According to Barbu, it’s for the first time when farmers get compensations in the same year with the calamities. Data released by the Agriculture Ministry in Bucharest says that over 16 thousand farmers have applied for investigations and the assessment of their destroyed crops. Minister Barbu says that roughly 2 million hectares of corn and sunflower crops have been affected by the extreme weather in Romania plus 100 thousand hectares of autumn crops like wheat and rape.

     

    UN President Klaus Iohannis will be heading Romania’s delegation at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly taking place in New York on the 24th and 25th September. The main theme is “Unity in diversity, for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere”. According to a statement from the Romanian president’s office, Klaus Iohannis will give an address on Wednesday, in which he will call for maintaining multilateral dialogue, especially in a UN format, as an essential element of regional and global security. He is also expected to highlight his country’s efforts and contribution, at all levels, to finding solutions to current global challenges, from security crises like the war in Ukraine or the conflict in the Middle East, to major challenges facing the world, including the climate emergency and cyber threats.

     

    HANDBALL The Romanian women’s handball vice-champions CS Rapid Bucharest lost 37-29 to the German side HB Ludwigsburg at home on Sunday evening, in a Champions League Group B match. Rapid will next play Team Esbjerg away on 6th October. The Romanian side are in 4th place in their group, with 3 points in 3 matches. Previously, the Romanian champions CSM Bucharest defeated the Croatian side RK Podravka Vegeta Koprivnica 29-28 away, while CS Gloria Bistriţa-Năsăud lost at home to the Slovenian side Krim Mercator Ljubljana 30-35. CSM have four points in three matches played, and Gloria two points. The latter will play their next match away against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria on 5th October, while CSM will face the Danish side Nykobing Falster Handbold at home on 6th October.

     

    ELECTIONS The Romanian foreign ministry has published a guide for postal voting ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections this year. The voter registration deadline for Romanian citizens with their domicile or residence abroad is 10th October for the presidential elections and 17th October for the parliamentary elections. Registration is made by filling in an online form available at votstrăinătate.ro, a website managed by the Permanent Electoral Authority.

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  • September 20, 2024 UPDATE

    September 20, 2024 UPDATE

     

    BUDGET Early next week the government of Romania is scheduled to discuss a proposed budget adjustment presented by the finance ministry, with significantly increased expenditure. This is the first state budget adjustment this year, and public healthcare, education and transportation are expected to receive additional funding. Under the draft order posted on the finance ministry website, most of the money will go to transport (about EUR 1.1 billion), with healthcare, internal affairs and investments earmarked an extra EUR 600 mln each. The social security fund is also to be increased to ensure money for the pensions raised as of September 1. There are also authorising entities that will have smaller budgets: the general secretariat of the government, the ministry of the economy, the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies and the Special Telecommunications Service. According to the draft, the budget deficit will deepen to almost 7%, 2% up compared to early-year forecasts, while the economic growth rate is now predicted to reach 2.8% as opposed to 3.4% previously forecast.

     

    INTERIOR MINISTRY The Romanian interior minister, Cătălin Predoiu, had a telephone discussion with his British counterpart, Yvette Cooper. The talks highlighted the very good cooperation between the two parties, with activities conducted both under the Romanian-British Strategic Partnership, and for the development of operative cooperation between equivalent structures. The dynamics of intelligence, data and know-how exchange has seen an upward trend in recent years. The 2 officials focused on topics of interest in the field of illegal migration and cross-border crime, and have agreed to strengthen future cooperation in the field of internal affairs.

     

    POLLS The former Deputy General Secretary of NATO, Mircea Geoană, has a minimal lead over the left-wing Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in the first round of the presidential elections that will take place this autumn in Romania, according to an opinion poll conducted by the INSCOP research institute. Mircea Geoana (66), a former president of the Social Democratic Party, who lost the presidential elections in 2009 and who is now running as an independent, is predicted to get 21.4% of the votes in the first round, and the current Social Democratic leader, Marcel Ciolacu (56), 20.3%. Elena Lasconi, leader of the right of centre Save Romania Union (USR), in opposition, ranks third, with 14.2% of the votes, while the Liberal leader Nicolae Ciucă comes in sixth place, below two ultra-nationalist candidates. Eleven candidates have so far announced their plans to run for president and replace Klaus Iohannis, who ends his second and last term in office in December. Although the president’s role is largely ceremonial, his prerogatives include appointing the prime minister after elections, appointing judges and prosecutors, and sending draft legislation back to parliament for reconsideration. The presidential elections will take place in two rounds, on November 24 and December 8, respectively, with parliamentary elections in between. 1,102 people participated in the September survey, which has a margin of error of 3%.

     

    INVESTIGATION The criminal case concerning the December 1989 anti-communist revolution in Romania, in which the defendants include the former president Ion Iliescu and the former senior deputy PM Gelu Voican Voiculescu, has been sent back to the prosecutor’s office because of irregularities on the part of the military prosecutors on the case. The decision was made by the supreme court on Friday, and it is final. The High Court of Cassation and Justice argued that the indictment was unable to define the object and the limits of the trial. In mid-June, a separate supreme court panel ruled that irregularities existed in the indictment and gave the Military Prosecutor’s Office time to address them, but prosecutors have failed to comply.

     

    AID The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced a EUR 10 billion aid package from the EU Cohesion Fund for the Central European countries, including Romania, affected by floods. ‘This is an emergency response,’ she stated after a meeting with the heads of government from Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia. “For me it was (…) heartbreaking to see the destruction and devastation” caused by storm Boris, said the EC chief. Since last week, strong winds, exceptionally heavy rainfall and flooding have killed at least 24 people in the region: seven each in Romania and Poland, and five each in Austria and the Czech Republic.

     

    NOKIAN TYRES Partnership with the private sector is the sure way for Romania’s development, the Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday, during a working visit to the Nokian Tyres factory in Oradea (west), which was inaugurated on Thursday. Relocated from Russia to Romania, the factory is a success story that brings together a world-class investor, local authorities and the Government of Romania, which strongly supported such an investment, he added. Nokian Tyres is the world’s first tyre factory with zero carbon dioxide emissions. As of 2025, its 550 employees will produce 6 million car tyres annually, including for large SUVs. The factory uses green energy only, and all the technological steam is obtained without fossil fuels. The Finnish investment in Oradea, put at EUR 650 million, to which the Government contributed with a state aid of EUR 100 million, is one of the most valuable made in Romania in recent years.

     

    ELECTION The foreign ministry Friday posted the Guidelines for postal voting for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections. The deadline for the Romanian nationals living abroad to register as voters by mail is October 10 for the presidential election and October 17 for the general election. All the necessary information has been made public on the foreign ministry’s home page, at www.mae.ro.

  • November 18, 2022

    November 18, 2022

    ENERGY Romania will secure its energy independence in 2027 and will even become a provider of security in the region, including for
    the neighbouring Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, said the president of the
    National Energy Regulatory Authority, Dumitru Chiriţă.
    He added that over the past few years Bucharest invested EUR 3 bln in natural
    gas and electricity transport and distribution systems. On the other hand,
    investments in production operations only amounted to EUR 30 mln, but this will
    change as massive funding will be channelled in this sector. According to the Authority, new production
    units will be operational in 3-4 years’ time, with a combined output of over 10,000
    MW, and investors are quite interested in the projects, some of which are
    funded from loans and others from private sources.


    BUDGET The
    government of Romania Thursday approved this year’s second public budget
    adjustment, with approx. EUR 100 million in additional funding. According to
    the government, the budget adjustment covers compulsory spending, operating
    expenses and social assistance expenses. According to the finance minister
    Adrian Câciu, the budget deficit is reduced from 5.84% to 5.74%. A majority of
    funds will be earmarked for the finance, labour, agriculture and economy
    ministries. Also, under the new budget, the energy, transport, public
    healthcare and interior ministries are set to lose part of their funding.


    DEFENCE The
    Romanian defence minister Angel Tîlvăr took part this week in a meeting of
    South Eastern European defence ministers, held in Sofia under the Bulgarian
    presidency of the initiative. The participants analysed the progress in the
    projects organised by this initiative and approved a number of documents
    concerning the planning of SEDM operations. Angel Tîlvăr reiterated Romania’s
    commitment to contribute even more actively to the implementation of the
    initiative’s projects. On the sidelines of the meeting in Sofia, the Romanian
    official had bilateral meetings with his Moldovan, Bulgarian and Georgian
    counterparts.


    UKRAINE
    Over 10 million Ukrainians were left without electricity, especially in the
    Kyiv region, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Several
    Ukrainian cities, including the capital, were hit by Russian attacks on
    Thursday, concurrently with the first snow in a country affected by blackouts,
    where temperatures may drop to negative 10°C, AFP reports. The resumed shelling
    targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure constantly deprives millions of
    Ukrainians of electricity and water supplies.


    MISSILE The
    missile launched by North Korea on Friday had enough range to hit the US, and a
    range capability of 15,000 km, said Japan’s defence minister Yasukazu Hamada,
    quoted by Reuters. The intercontinental ballistic missile reached an altitude
    of 6,000 km and landed roughly 200 km west of a Japanese island. Over the past
    2 months North Korea has tested over 50 missiles, most of them in the
    short-range class. Medium and long-range missiles are a direct threat to the US,
    as they are designed to carry nuclear warheads to the US mainland, the BBC says.


    FOOTBALL
    Romania’s national football team lost 2-1 a friendly game played last night in
    Cluj-Napoca against Slovenia. On Saturday, Romania is to play another friendly
    against the Republic of Moldova, in Chişinău. Romania has failed to qualify to
    the Qatar World Cup and is training for the Euro 2024. The national team will
    play in Group I against Switzerland, Israel, Kosovo, Belarus and Andorra. Meanwhile,
    Romania’s Under-20 football team was defeated by Italy, 2-1, in a friendly
    match hosted by the Romanian city of Arad. (AMP)

  • November 17, 2022 UPDATE

    November 17, 2022 UPDATE

    BUDGET The
    government of Romania Thursday approved this year’s second public budget
    adjustment, with an approx. EUR 104 million increase
    in revenues and a similar increase in
    expenditure. According to the government, the budget adjustment covers
    compulsory spending, operating expenses and social assistance expenses. Funds
    have also been rechanneled for implementing programmes with an impact on the economy
    and which support households and companies. Financing is also ensured for the
    state aid provided to the farmers whose crops were affected by drought this
    year. According to the autumn macroeconomic forecast on which the adjustment is
    based, the government’s news release also reads, Romania’s GDP is expected to
    reach RON 1,396.2 bln in 2022 (as compared to RON 1,372.5 bln taken into
    account in the first budget adjustment).


    INFLATION The annual inflation in the EU continued to grow in October
    to reach 11.5%, as against 10.9% in September. The member states with the
    highest rates are Estonia (22.5%), Lithuania (22.1%), Hungary (21.9%) and
    Latvia (21.7%), according to data made public on Thursday by the Eurostat.
    Compared to September, the annual inflation rate dropped in 11 member countries,
    remained stable in 3 countries and went up in 13 member states, including in
    Romania (from 13.4% to 13.5%). As many as 18 member countries, Romania
    included, reported for September an annual inflation rate above 10%. The member
    states with the lowest inflation rates in September were France (7.1%) and
    Spain (7.3%). In October 2021, the year-on-year inflation rate in the European
    Union was 4.4%, and in Romania it was 6.5%. In Romania, the National Statistics
    Institute had previously announced that the year-on-year inflation dropped this
    October to 15.32%, from 15.88% in September, with a 20.58% rise in foodstuff
    prices, non-food prices going up 14.37%, and service prices 8.31% more expensive.
    Just days ago, the National Bank of Romania also released its quarterly
    inflation report, according to which the rate is expected to reach 16.3% by the
    end of this year and 11.2% next year.

    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu
    Thursday had talks with his counterpart, Jean Asselborn, during his visit to
    the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The two officials discussed Romania’s Schengen
    accession and the security situation at the Black Sea. Bogdan Aurescu also
    mentioned, in a joint press conference, the importance of the Republic of
    Moldova’s European accession, and said on Monday he would co-chair the third
    Support Platform for the Republic of Moldova, in Paris, together with his
    French and German counterparts. The Romanian official also thanked Luxembourg
    for its plans to deploy a 25-troop unit as part of the NATO Battle Group in
    Romania. The decision is pending the approval of Luxembourg’s parliament.


    MILITARY A second shipment of French military equipment, specifically Leclerc tanks,
    reached Braşov County (central Romania). The equipment is intended to strengthen
    the NATO Battle Group (Battle Group Forward Presence-BGFP) stationed in Cincu,
    the Romanian ministry of defence (MApN) said. A first convoy of French military
    equipment, consisting in armoured vehicles, arrived in Romania on October 23.


    ASSESSMENT A mixed team of experts from the European Commission and some member
    states, including the Netherlands, will be in Romania this week to assess the
    country’s readiness for Schengen accession. According to the Bucharest
    government, the visit is voluntary, similar to the one that took place between
    October 9 and 11. On Wednesday, the European Commission requested that Romania,
    Bulgaria and Croatia be part of the Schengen Area without
    delay. The EC points out that Romania has a solid and high-quality border
    management and is involved in international cooperation in border police
    matters.


    HANDBALL Two Romanian players, Cristina Neagu and Crina Pintea, were
    nominated for the all-star team of the European Women’s Handball Championship
    hosted by North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia and due to conclude this
    Sunday. According to the EHF website, Cristina Neagu is nominated for the left
    back position, and Crina Pintea for line player. Neagu announced on Thursday that
    the EHF Euro 2022 was the last in her career, and that it had not ended as she
    had dreamt, after Romania finished only 12th. With 303 goals, Cristina
    Neagu is at the top of the combined all-time goal scorers’ list for Women’s and
    Men’s EHF EURO events. Romania has taken part in all the EHF Euro editions so
    far, with one exception (2006), and its best performance was a bronze medal in 2010. (AMP)

  • September 7, 2021

    September 7, 2021

    CRISIS In Romania, deputy PM Dan Barna and the other USR PLUS ministers resigned on Tuesday from the Liberal Florin Citus coalition cabinet, as they had announced on Monday night. USR PLUS believe the PM dynamited the coalition after unexpectedly dismissing the justice minister Stelian Ion. The party is invited to have talks with president Klaus Iohannis this afternoon, to discuss the governmental crisis. On Friday, USR PLUS and the nationalist party AUR tabled a no-confidence motion against the Citu cabinet. The standing bureaus of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies convene today in a new attempt to agree on a timetable for the motion.



    BUDGET In spite of the resignation of the USR PLUS ministers, PM Florin Citu has convened a cabinet meeting today, to discuss a new budget adjustment. The Prime Minister announced last night that the budget adjustment bill would be passed whether or not USR PLUS party pulls out of the government coalition. With todays adjustment, most funds will go to the health ministry, public finances, development and investments. Budget cuts will affect the labour ministry, the Senate and the Court of Accounts.



    DIPLOMACY Bucharest is hosting as of today the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats, which brings together the heads of Romanias diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad. The meeting is chaired by the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu. The main topic of this years meeting is the concept of resilience, which gains importance in the context of the pandemic-related crisis. The Romanian diplomats will also discuss ways to concentrate their efforts on emerging developments like climate change, digital transition, the growing role of new technologies and cyber security. The Romanian diplomacy chief Bogdan Aurescu has talks scheduled today with his Moldovan counterpart, Nicolae Popescu, who is also taking part in the meeting. The bilateral talks focus on strengthening Romanias support for the reforms implemented by the new government in Chişinău and for Moldovas EU accession efforts.



    VISIT The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will be on an official visit to Switzerland on Thursday, at the invitation of his counterpart Guy Parmelin. According to the presidency, the visit takes place in the context of this years anniversary of 110 years of diplomatic relations between the two states. The talks will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation, including economic cooperation, with an emphasis on investments. Switzerland is the 10th-largest foreign investor in Romania.



    COVID-19 The number of new Covid-19 infections remains high in Romania, with 1,035 new cases reported on Monday out of around 18,000 tests. The frequency of cases for the past 14 days has reached or gone over 1 per thousand in Bucharest and 4 other counties. Over the past 24 hours, 25 patients died. The number of hospitalised patients is over 3,300, 405 of them in intensive care. Of the patients in hospitals, 107 are under 18, and 5 of them are in ICU. Over 8,000 people have received a vaccine in the last 24 hours, but the total number of fully immunised people is nearly 5.2 million, still less than one-third of the total eligible population.



    US OPEN The Romanians Monica Niculescu/Gabriela Ruse qualified in the quarter-finals of the doubles competition at US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year, after defeating Leylah Fernandez (Canada)/Erin Routliff (New Zealand). The Romanians are next to take on Alexa Guarachi (Chile)/ Desirae Krawczyk (USA), who beat Raluca Olaru (Romania)/Nadia Kicenok (Ukraine). In the mens doubles, Horia Tecău (Romania) / Kevin Krawietz (Germany), seed no. 6, are playing today in the quarter-finals against the Americans Steve Johnson/Sam Querrey. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • August 3, 2021

    August 3, 2021

    COVID-19 On Tuesday 233 new SarsCov2 cases were reported in Romania, the largest number in 2 months. The number of coronavirus patients in hospitals remains over 400, with 60 of them in ICUs. Five COVID-related deaths were also reported. The number of new coronavirus cases in growing in Europe, whereas in Romania containment measures are more relaxed than in other countries, state secretary Raed Arafat said. Nonetheless, he emphasized, Romanians fail to observe them and have largely given up wearing face masks in public transport means. In spite of repeated warnings on an imminent new wave of infections, the vaccine rollout is also lagging. Romania has recently managed to reach 5 million people receiving at least one dose of the vaccine, a target originally set by the authorities for early June.




    BUDGET In Bucharest, the Liberal PM Florin Cîţu announced a first draft of the mid-year state budget adjustment bill is ready and will be forwarded soon to the leaders of the right-of-centre ruling coalition. The prime minister also said he was still waiting for all ministers to report the budget execution for the first half of the year, and called for more responsibility in public spending in the next 6 months. In an internet post, Florin Cîţu reminded his cabinet members that they must reach all the budget targets undertaken at the beginning of this year.




    TENSIONS Tensions between Israel, the UK and the US are deepening following the drone attack on an oil tanker managed by an Israeli businessman in the Arabian Sea, which killed a Romanian and a British crew members on July 29. Israel described the incident as a violation of international law. In Bucharest, the Foreign Ministry firmly condemned the attack and summoned the Iranian ambassador to an emergency meeting. Similar measures were also taken in London, where PM Boris Johnson said Iran must face the consequences. Britain and the US harshened their criticism of Iran, accusing it of being behind the attack. The government in Tehran invited the charges daffaires with the embassies of the UK and Romania to talks, protesting the accusations against Iran.




    HOLIDAYS 28% of the EU citizens cannot afford a one-week holiday away from home. An analysis of Eurostat data conducted by the European trade union confederation found that inequity in terms of access to holidays between people with incomes below 60% of average salary and those with incomes above this threshold has deepened in 16 member states over the past decade. Romania has the widest gap in this respect in the EU, according to the Cartel Alfa trade union federation.




    VACCINE The European Union has reached a major goal of providing at least one dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine to 70% of the adults in the Union, but member states must step up vaccination rates in order to contain the quicker-spreading variants, the European Commission chief warned on Tuesday. Ursula von der Leyen said that, apart from the first dose target being met, 57% of the EU adults are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 68% of the adults in the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have received their first dose, whereas 53.7% of the approximately 400 million adults in the 31 countries are fully vaccinated.




    FOOTBALL The Romanian football champions CFR Cluj are playing at home today against the Swiss side Young Boys Bern, in the first leg of the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League. The second leg is scheduled for August 10 in Switzerland. CFR Cluj qualified into the 3rd round after defeating Lincoln Red Imps FC of Gibraltar, while the Swiss champions beat Slovan Bratislava. Should it get past the Swiss opponents, CFR Cluj will take on the winner of the match pitting Ferencvaros Budapest against Slavia Prague in the Champions League play-offs, according to Mondays draw in Nyon (Switzerland). (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • The Week in Review November 21-18

    The Week in Review November 21-18

    Romania, 9 months since its first coronavirus case


    Nine months after the first coronavirus infection was reported in the country, during which hundreds of thousands of other cases have been confirmed, the daily number of Sars-CoV-2-related deaths remains high, and so does the number of patients in intensive care.



    Experts warn that although the daily number of new cases has been on a slight decrease since the beginning of this week compared to last week, this is not enough to be optimistic. They believe that only after 14 days with a positive trend can the situation be assumed to be stable.



    Authorities introduced local lockdowns in areas with high infection rates. The results are already evident, and the rate is dropping. The restrictions introduced nation-wide, such as the compulsory face covering both indoors and outdoors, nighttime curfews and the switch to online classes in schools have also played a part.



    President Klaus Iohannis said Romania will not go under full lockdown after the general election due on December 6. However, this is not the time for relaxation, he said, and urged citizens to continue to observe the safety measures and to spend the winter holidays with the members of their own households.



    The president also voiced hopes that as soon as conclusive data is published, Romanians will be less skeptical with respect to a vaccine. According to a poll run by the Avangarde Social and Behavioural Studies Group, only 30% of the Romanians would get the coronavirus vaccine as soon as one is available in the country.



    Meanwhile, Romanian authorities are presenting the anti-COVID vaccination strategy, which is seen as a matter of national security. The strategy will be submitted for endorsement by the Supreme Defence Council next week. Healthcare and other key sector personnel and high-risk social categories will be the priority groups to receive the vaccine.



    The National Defence Ministry will play a very important role in supporting inter-institutional efforts during the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, providing the logistic means for this national campaign. The distribution strategy also takes into account the specific transport and storage requirements for each vaccine.



    The government approved the 3rd budget adjustment this year


    The Romanian Government Monday adopted the 3rd and last budget adjustment this year, one that takes the budget deficit to roughly 19.5 billion euros. Unlike earlier predictions, the budget deficit will reach 9.1% of GDP by year end, and the economy will shrink by 4.2%.



    PM Ludovic Orban said the adjustment was required in order to cover the expenditure incurred with the COVID-19 pandemic, with the payment of increased pension benefits and balancing local budgets. He explained that new challenges and expenses had to be handled, as the pandemic and a number of recent laws have increased the pressure on the state budget.



    Additional funds will be earmarked to the Labour Ministry for pension, furlough and flexible working time payments. The Health Ministry will also get more money for the anti-COVID efforts, including bonuses for ambulance staff, who had not been included in the original regulation providing bonuses to healthcare staff fighting the pandemic.



    The finance minister Florin Cîţu announced an increase in Romanias contribution to the EU financial effort to produce a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. He explained that this budget adjustment also ensures that public investment projects worth around 11 million euros will be carried on. Public education and agriculture have also received additional funds. The Agriculture Ministry will therefore be able to pay compensations to the farmers affected by this years drought. On the other hand, budget cuts were operated, affecting the Finance Ministry and the Interior Ministry, the Presidential Administration and the Chamber of Deputies.




    Bucharest presents National Recovery and Resilience Plan


    The Government of Romania Thursday night presented the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which will use EU funding to help the Romanian economy overcome the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is designed to ensure the accelerated development of the country in the coming 4 years, and the EU money will be spent on new hospitals, hundreds of kilometres of motorway, school infrastructure and the digitization of public administration.



    Under the plan, over 30 billion euros will be invested in the most important sectors of the Romanian society. Of the total, non-reimbursable grants amount to nearly 14 billion euro, and loans at favourable interest rates contracted by the European Commission on behalf of the member states account for the balance.



    The plan has been subject to public debate as of Thursday, with civil society invited to make suggestions, to be reviewed by the Government. After that, the plan will be sent to Brussels. Several NGOs working in the education, healthcare and social fields have already voiced their intention to contribute to the document, which, they say, must include first and foremost support measures for vulnerable categories and pay special attention to underprivileged youth and children, helping them to complete their education. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 24, 2020

    November 24, 2020

    COVID-19 Romanias anti-COVID-19 vaccination strategy has been finalised and will be endorsed by the Supreme Defence Council in the forthcoming period, President Klaus Iohannis announced. He added, after a meeting with healthcare experts, that an action plan has been put together and all official information concerning the vaccination campaign will be posted on a separate website. Over 7,750 new COVID-19 cases and 196 related deaths have been reported over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to over 10,370. Since the start of the pandemic, at least 430,000 people have tested positive for the virus, more than two-thirds of whom have so far recovered. Over 1,200 patients are currently in intensive care.



    PANDEMIC The WHO welcomes the announcement regarding a 3rd anti-COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Oxford University jointly with AstraZeneca. The British researchers say the vaccine is at least 70% efficient, but that, depending on the treatment scheme, the protection rate can reach as high as 90%. Pfizer jointly with BioNTech and Moderna had previously announced efficiency rates of over 90% and of 95% respectively for their vaccines. So far 59 million people have tested positive for Sars-Cov-2 worldwide, with the global death toll standing at nearly 1.4 million. In Europe, France and Britain are planning to ease restrictions for the winter holidays.



    BUDGET The Government of Romania Monday approved the 3rd budget adjustment this year. More funds have been earmarked for healthcare and agriculture. PM Ludovic Orban said the adjustment was required in order to cover the expenditure incurred with the Covid-19 pandemic, with the increased pension benefits, flexible working hours and furlough payments and with the balancing of local budgets. The adjustment also helps financing public investments, the finance minister Florin Cîţu said in his turn. The main elements underlying this adjustment are a budget deficit standing at 9.1% of GDP and a negative 4.2% growth rate.



    CORRUPTION The National Anti-Corruption Directorate is working on a corruption-related criminal case in Sibiu (central Romania). Prosecutors are investigating the awarding of a contract for 2 modular hospital units for Covid-19 patients in the Sibiu County Hospital. During this springs state of emergency, the County Council paid some 1.2 million euros under this contract. The units, with 35-bed capacity and the necessary equipment, were opened in October. The Sibiu County Hospital and Public Healthcare Directorate are under military management as of recently. Sibiu County has the highest COVID-19 infection rate in the country, and several places in the county, including the capital city, are under lockdown.



    HANDBALL Romanias womens handball team are preparing for the European Championship hosted by Denmark between December 3 and 20. Romania is playing in Group D in the final tournament, alongside Norway, Germany and Poland, with the games taking place in the town of Kolding. Denmark is the sole host of the tournament after the second designated host, neighbouring Norway, pulled out. On November 16, only 17 days before the first game was due, Oslo announced that healthcare constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic prevent it from organising the competition. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • Government makes third budget adjustment in 2020

    Government makes third budget adjustment in 2020



    The government
    in Bucharest on Monday adopted the third budget adjustment this year.
    According to PM Ludovic Orban, the adjustment was necessary to cope with
    the expenses triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The rectification was also
    needed to secure the payment of pensions and for the balancing of local
    budgets. PM Orban also explained new challenges and expenses never ceased to
    occur, given that the pandemic but also a series of legislative initiatives increased
    the pressure on social expenses. Contrary to the estimates made in the
    summer, by the end of the year the budget deficit will account for 9.1% of
    the GDP, while the economy will shrink by 4.2%.

    It is the last adjustment the Government has adopted this year, which took the budget deficit to more
    than 96 billion lei (that is more than 19 billion Euros). The extra sums of
    money will be earmarked to the Labor Ministry, for the payment of pensions,
    for the benefits of furloughed staff and the flexible work
    schedule. The Healthcare Ministry will also receive an increased sum of
    money, in support of the Ministry’s fight against the COVID-19 virus. Of the approx. one billion lei, that is roughly 200 million Euros, extra sums
    of money will be earmarked for the payment of incentives for ambulance
    workers who were left out of the initial version of the Government’s
    executive order stipulating that risk condition incentives would be earmarked
    for doctors on the front line of the fight against the pandemic. Furthermore,
    Finance Minister Florin Cîţu made public the fact that Romania’s contribution
    was increased for the European financial effort to come up with a vaccine
    against SARS-CoV-2.

    Extra sums of money would also be earmarked
    for investments. Florin Cîţu specified the most recent budget adjustment provided for the continuation of investments, standing at around 55 billion
    lei (roughly 11 billion Euros), up from the initial budget. Also, Education
    and Agriculture have also received extra sums of money as a result of the
    latest redistribution of funds in 2020. The Ministry of Agriculture will be
    the recipient of extra sums of money, to be paid in compensations to the
    drought-hit farmers. In turn, the Finance and the Interior Ministry will
    receive less money as a result of the third budget adjustment. However,
    the Defense Ministry will be subject to the most substantial cuts, accounting
    for around 2 billion lei (some 400 million Euros). The
    Presidential Administration and the Chamber of Deputies will also receive
    less money than initially stipulated.

    In another move, the Fiscal Council has
    estimated the budget deficit in 2020 would account for 9.8% of the GDP,
    standing at 0.7% above the Finance Ministry’s forecast. According to the
    Fiscal Council’s stance on the Government’s third budget adjustment in
    2020, the public finance status at the end of the year was important because
    it was the departure point for the budget construction in 2021. The Fiscal
    Council, among other things, also recommended a restructuring of the
    expenditure as well as of the budget revenues through the enlargement of the
    taxation base, the improvement of the tax collection system and a better
    absorption of the European funds.

    (Translation by Eugen Nasta)



  • November 23, 2020 UPDATE

    November 23, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 President Klaus Iohannis announced Monday that the anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign will be endorsed by the Supreme Defence Council in the forthcoming period. On Monday Iohannis had talks with ministers of Defence, Healthcare and Interior Affairs to discuss the campaign. Under the strategy, priority groups will include healthcare staff, vulnerable people, and personnel in key sectors. Klaus Iohannis emphasised that once approved by relevant international bodies, the vaccines will be safe, efficient and are the only viable solution to end the pandemic. Romania will receive 10.7 million anti-COVID-19 shots from the European Commission in several batches. On Monday another 4,207 new infections with SARS-CoV-2 and 130 related deaths were reported in Romania. The national death toll has reached 10,177. Since the beginning of the outbreak, 422,825 people got infected with coronavirus, over two thirds of whom have recovered.



    ELECTION Citizens living in quarantined areas will be able to vote in the December 6 legislative election. On Monday Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said there will be no restrictions in this respect, adding that citizens infected with COVID-19 and those in quarantine or home isolation will be able to vote with the help of mobile ballot boxes. More and more towns and villages across Romania are going into lockdown as the infection rate continues to grow.



    CoD Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu Monday opened the 32nd meeting of the Council of Democracies (CoD), held online this year. Aurescu reiterated Bucharests firm commitment to promoting the principles of the Warsaw Declaration, and its support for countries undergoing democratic transition processes. Romania is holding the Council presidency until September 2021. Founded in 2000 and totaling 106 member states, the Council of Democracies is the widest platform for exchanging views and know-how in the field of global democracy.



    AID The European Commission approved a nearly 4.4 million EUR aid scheme for Romanian regional airports, to cover net losses incurred because of the pandemic between March and June this year. The scheme is open to Romanian airports with 200,000 to 3 million passengers per year.



    TELEWORK Almost half (48%) of the Romanians currently working from home say they appreciate no longer wasting time in traffic, but over 26% say their emotional state is worse, according to a survey made public by Reveal Marketing Research on Monday. Among the advantages of teleworking, 45% of the interviewees list the flexible working hours and 42% the time spent with their families. Also, although 79% of Romanians believe they are as efficient or even more efficient than they were at the office, 44% say they are now working more. The survey was conducted this October, and included 600 people from big cities who are working fully or partly from home.



    POLLUTION In Europe, better air quality led to a drop in the number of premature deaths between 2009 and 2018, but Europeans are still affected by air pollution, reads a European Commission report released on Monday. Six EU Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland and Romania) exceeded the ceiling for fine particulate matter in 2018. According to the report, there remains a gap between EU’s legal air quality limits and WHO guidelines, an issue that the European Commission seeks to address with a revision of the EU standards under the Zero Pollution Action Plan. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 18, 2020

    November 18, 2020

    COVID-19 Romania confirmed 10,269 new Sars-Cov-2 infections in 24 hours. The total number of cases since the start of the pandemic is now over 383,000. Nearly 70% of the patients have recovered. The authorities also announced 168 deaths in 24 hours, which takes the total death toll up to 9,429. 1,174 patients are currently in intensive care. According to the National Public Health Institute, last week the number of new cases was only 2,000 higher than in the previous week. The report also indicates that since the start of the pandemic, one in 52 cases has involved medical staff. The age groups the least affected by the new virus remain children and youth up to 19 years. The average age of patients is 48, and 95.3% of the deaths have been reported among people suffering from previous conditions.



    VACCINE The Sibiu Public Health Directorate is under military management as of today. Sibiu County ranks first by infection rate in Romania, with 9 cases in 1,000 people, while in the city of Sibiu, which has been under lockdown since Monday, the rate is 13 per 1,000. Meanwhile, the authorities are preparing an anti-Covid-19 vaccination strategy, which will be made public next week. President Klaus Iohannis said the guidelines for this have been defined and asked the institutions in charge to communicate in a clear and transparent manner and to fight disinformation.



    BUDGET The Government of Romania is giving a first reading today to a bill on a new budget adjustment, the third this year, stipulating the allocation of over 205 million euros for healthcare, as well as additional funding for investments and agriculture. The funds are needed to cover the rise in expenditure with the Covid-19 containment measures, and to provide compensations to the farmers affected by this years drought, PM Ludovic Orban explained. He added that additional money will also be earmarked for local authorities, particularly those affected by the pandemic, and to town halls that have initiated investment projects and can no longer afford the co-financing.



    PROTEST Several farmers associations are protesting in Bucharest today against the authorities decision to close indoor food markets. The measure was introduced recently in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The participants also request the Government and local authorities support to keep food markets open and to provide compensation for the farmers affected by the aforesaid measure.



    GAUDEAMUS The Gaudeamus Radio România International Book fair, organized this year exclusively online, continues until Sunday, November 22nd. This 27th edition can be accessed on gaudeamus.ro, which provides information on the latest book releases and on the over 100 participating publishers. The honorary president of this years fair is Norman Manea, a Romanian-born writer living in the US since 1986.



    FOOTBALL Romanias national football team is playing against Northern Ireland in Belfast tonight, in the UEFA Nations League. The match counts towards the FIFA ranking on which the drawing for the 2022 World Championship qualifying groups will be based. On Tuesday night, Romanias U-21 team qualified into next years European final tournament hosted by Hungary and Slovenia. This is the second consecutive qualification for Romanias youth team in the continental final tournament. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • Budget adjustment bill reaches Parliament

    Budget adjustment bill reaches Parliament

    The Parliament in Bucharest has a tense week ahead,
    dominated by the government’s bill on the adjustment of this year’s budget. The
    bill has already been amended in Parliament’s committees by the Social
    Democrats in opposition so as to increase spending. The Liberals, who form a minority
    government, threaten to refer the matter to the Constitutional Court but not
    before trying to work with the other parties in Parliament to block the Social
    Democrats’ amendments. The latter usually have a majority in Parliament, but
    have recently lost some of their MPs, so the result of the vote is unpredictable.




    The most important amendment to the budget adjustment bill
    refers to eliminating an article on increasing pensions by only 14% as of 1st
    September. If the amended bill passes in Parliament, pensions will go up by 40%
    instead. The committees have also eliminated a government’s amendment postponing
    for next year an increase in teachers’ wages so the increase may come into
    force as of 1st September this year. Another amendment aims to cap
    Romania’s borrowing from 44 to 40% by the end of the year. Prime minister
    Ludovic Orban has warned that the budget cannot possibly sustain the amendments
    proposed by the Social Democratic Party:




    What has happened in the budget and finance committee
    is a crime against the Romanian economy, with the country risking of going into
    default. We will put up a fight in the two joint chambers to send the report
    back to the budget and finance committee. I’m convinced that with the
    cooperation of the other political parties, we will manage to do so.




    The prime minister has explained that the Social Democrat’s
    proposals would lead to additional spending of 6.3% of the GDP both this year
    and the next, which cannot be sustained. We will use all constitutional and
    legal means at our disposal, including a new adjustment, the prime minister
    emphasised. The centre-right Save Romania Union has also warned that the Social
    Democratic Party is sending the country’s budget into chaos through its proposed
    amendments. The Social Democrats wish to pass yet another bill to grant a bonus
    to teachers for resuming teaching amid a pandemic. Marcel Ciolacu, the president
    of the Social Democratic Party:




    Teachers are in the front line right now, just like
    doctors. We’re proposing a bonus of 500 euros, just like that for doctors. The
    bill will be received on Tuesday by the Chamber of Deputies and will be put to
    a final vote, from which it will be submitted for promulgation.





    The
    Social Democrats say the money for all this spending will be found later
    through measures the government can take in the future. (CM)

  • November 20, 2019 UPDATE

    November 20, 2019 UPDATE

    ELECTIONS The campaign ahead of the second round of Romania’s presidential elections on Sunday continues until Saturday morning at 7 am local time. The incumbent president Klaus Iohannis, who is endorsed by the National Liberal Party, now in power, is facing the former Social Democrat prime minister Viorica Dancila. The Standing Electoral Authority has announced that the electoral register has been updated and the total number of voters in the lists is 18,217,411. The total number of citizens residing abroad and entitled to vote in this election is 715,064. In the first round, which included 14 candidates, Iohannis won almost 38% of the votes and Dancila a little over 22%. Voter turnout stood at 51.19%. In the diaspora, where voting took place over three days, a record turnout was reported, with 675,000 people casting their ballots. The second round of voting is also taking place over three days abroad: on Friday between 12 am and 9 pm and on Saturday and Sunday between 7 am and 9 pm, with the possibility for the voting to be extended until midnight. The foreign ministry has already distributed the materials needed for the voting process abroad. 4 million, six hundred and eight thousand and 175 ballots were distributed among the 835 polling stations set up abroad, 100,000 more ballots than was requested in the first round.




    FINANCE The European Commission Wednesday recommended that Romania should implement an annual structural adjustment of 1% of the GDP in 2020, to ensure that the nominal increase in net primary government expenditure will not exceed 4.4%. Romania is also advised to use any exceptional revenues in order to reduce the deficit, with budget consolidation measures aimed at ensuring sustainable improvement of the government structural balance, able to encourage growth. Bucharest is also requested to present the Council with a report on the measures taken in this respect, no later than April 15, 2020.



    MEETING The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu had a meeting on Wednesday with the US State Secretary Michael Pompeo, on the side-lines of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. The Romanian minister appreciated the US constant support for strengthening NATOs defence and deterrence posture on the eastern flank and pleaded for enhanced American military presence in Romania, given the volatile security context in the Black Sea region. He also reiterated the firm commitment of the new government in Bucharest for a fair sharing of responsibilities within NATO, confirming that Romania will continue to earmark 2% of its GDP to defence and to take part in foreign military missions. Also on Wednesday, Bogdan Aurescu had talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, on which occasion he mentioned the Common Declaration on the Strategic Partnership signed in 2018 by the presidents Klaus Iohannis and Emmanuel Macron, which re-launched the bilateral relation.



    ARREST The owner of the Romanian company that provided pest extermination services to 2 apartment buildings in Timişoara, western Romania, was taken in pre-trial custody for 30 days, under accusations of manslaughter, bodily harm and trafficking in controlled substances. Three people died, including a 9-day baby, over 40 others, mostly children, are hospitalized, and the buildings have been evacuated. The tragedy caused panic among the locals, with scores of people requesting medical check-ups. Investigations have revealed that the substances used for pest extermination had been purchased on the black market and contained a highly toxic compound. Concurrently with the criminal investigation, new decontamination operations were conducted on Wednesday, and a Health Ministry team is running on-site tests.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 14, 2019

    November 14, 2019

    FINANCE For the past 3 years, Romanias economy has been managed according to 2 budgets, one presented in Parliament and for which no PM or finance minister in the former Social Democratic governments has taken responsibility, and another one containing accurate data and used for financing party barons, the new Finance Minister Florin Cîţu told a press conference on Thursday. The added he would notify the competent authorities. According to the minister, the budget deficit for the first 10 months of the year is 2.84% of the GDP, above the estimate for the entire year, and unless measures are taken in the next one and a half months the figure will exceed 4%. Some 500 million euros in the public pension budget is unaccounted for, Cîţu added, and explained that this years budget should be adjusted downwards.




    ORDER The Government of Romania passed an emergency order on the status of the British citizens living in Romania in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Romania was the only EU member state still to regulate the matter. The Prime Ministers chief of staff, Ionel Dancă, explained that the order was necessary and had been requested by the British side.




    COMMISSIONER The Romanian MEP Adina Vălean, nominated for the transport commissioner post, is heard today in the European Parliaments specialist committees, along with the commissioners nominated by France and Hungary. On Tuesday she was given the green light by the Committee on Legal Affairs, which looked at possible conflicts of interest. Also on Tuesday, Vălean was heard by the joint European affairs committees of the Romanian Parliament, whose opinion is advisory. When the formal hearings are over, the president elect of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will present the full commission and its programme to the European Parliament on the 27th of November.




    GROWTH Romanias GDP is up 4% in the first 9 months of this year, compared to the corresponding period of 2018, the National Statistics Institute announced. However, the economic growth rate slowed down in the 3rd quarter, to 3% as against 4.4% reported for the 2nd quarter. In its autumn economic forecast made public recently, the European Commission estimates a 4.1% economic growth rate for Romania in 2019, and expects the rate to drop to 3.6% in 2020 and 3.3% the following year.




    TRAVEL 230 operators from 16 countries are attending until Sunday the largest Tourism Fair in Romania, organised in Bucharest. Taking part are representatives of travel agencies, tour operators, and associations and local authorities promoting their regions. Visitors can purchase holiday packages for this winter and for 2020, with discounts of up to 45%.




    FOOTBALL Romanias Under 19 football team is playing today at home against Finland, in Group 8 of the 2021 UEFA European Under 19 Championship qualifiers. Denmark tops the group with 9 points, followed by Finland with 7 and Romania with 6 points. In the Euro 2020 qualifiers, Romanias senior team are facing Sweden at home on Friday. Group F is dominated by Spain with 20 points, who have already secured their qualification, followed by Sweden with 15 points and Romania with 14. To qualify, Romania need to defeat Sweden and draw against Spain away. The two best-placed sides in each group will qualify. The drawing of lots for Euro 2020 will take place in Bucharest on the 30th of November. The Romanian capital will also host four European Championship matches, three group matches and a quarterfinal.




    HANDBALL Romanias mens handball champions, Dinamo Bucharest, are undefeated in the Champions League, after a draw against the Swedish side IFK Kristianstad, 29-29, in Group D. Dinamo, already qualified into the play-offs, ranks first in the group with 13 points, followed by GOG Gudme (Denmark), with 9 points, Orlen Wisla Plock (Poland) with 7, Kadetten Schaffhausen (Switzerland), with 6, IFK Kristianstad (Sweden) with 5 and Cehovskie Medvedi (Russia) with 4 points. Dinamo is next to take on Cehovskie Medvedi at home on November 20.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)